Welcome to GVI's Rainforest Conservation and Community Development project blog where you can keep up to date with all the happenings and information from the Ecuadorian Amazon

Global Vision International (GVI) is a non-political, non-religious organisation, which through its alliance with over 150 project partners in over 30 countries, provides opportunities for volunteers to fill a critical void in the fields of environmental research, conservation, education and community development.

Facts and figures

Created a species list (inventory) for the Yachana Reserve reaching over 750 different species including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and butterflies, amongst other invertebrates and it continues to grow every phase

National Scholarship Program offering scholarships to Amazon students from the Yachana Technical High School to study English, conservation and field techniques alongside GVI volunteers at our base camp. Over 60 students have participated since the start of the program, with many achieving advanced levels of English, and some even receiving scholarships to study in the US and return to Yachana as bilingual naturalist guides

In September 2008 GVI Amazon found an individual of Hyalinobatrachium iaspidiense, a rare glass frog that until recently was thought to only be endemic to the Guayana Region of Venezuela. Prior to this find it was thought to only reside in one other locality within Ecuador further north in the Succumbios region

Over 2500 hours of English and environmental lessons taught to local community schools

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The End of an Era

After over 6 years of intensive research and community development work in and around the Yachana Reserve, GVI Amazon is coming to a close. We have finished our final research project (look forward to our Road Effects paper, coming soon!) and are handing over the project to our partner, The Yachana Foundation. They will continue to maintain and monitor the reserve, using it as an hands-on science education center for students -- we're very excited to see what fabulous things this next generation of scientists find! For more detail on GVI Amazon's closure, and our accomplishments over the years, please read on...GVI Amazon Closure Statement

Thursday, February 18, 2010

The night was closing and it was getting late and the new volunteers were out on their eventful nightwalk and had some great sightings. An abundance of snakes, including a Coral, Fer de Lance and Vine Snake…Three engystomops petersi hanging out together and all the usual suspects you’d expect to find down Bloop and Ficus trails. All in all a successful night. – so they headed back to camp upbeat and in good spirits.

But…. ….little did they know…. …. The ten weekers had been plotting!

The camp was buzzing, an in depth battle plan was being formulated, the soldiers were issued positions and their weaponry was prepped (water balloons, foam and big bottles of water). Once the faces were painted and the troops were changed into their jungle wear – they sat back and waited. The camp had become eerily silent in anticipation (which was difficult for both Bianca and Laura). And then it happened. The radio crackled and a muffled voice declared…’GVI GVI GVI do you copy, - we will be home in 20 minutes, route back is Acces A!’ At this, camp burst into life and they hurried to the volleyball court,l or for tonight it will be known as ‘lecho de muerto’ (deathbed!)! The final brief from Sergent Whitworth and we all retired into the forest, out of sight from the trail. Twenty minutes had passed, when their head torches became visible, then the heavy footsteps could be heard and a drone of voices. They passed by not noticing Val and Benny sneak out behind them, blocking the path back. Once the volunteers were in the lecho de muerte, it happened. Andy and Piter blocked the path forward and opened fire, then Bianca, Tom, Christian, Stef and Mariana speared them from the side with heavy fire. The war cries and screams echoed from the jungle, as water and foam turned these new volunteers into something resembling jungle snow men. Some showed fear and didn’t know how to react, however Prash showed great agility to dodge a few projectiles and to get on the offensive, desperately trying to get hold of some ammo himself, but to no avail and soon he too looked as wet as the others. It was great to see everyone took it all in earnest with smiles and a little bit of a giggle and we look forward to see if there will be any repercussions for our actions. In all seriousness, welcome to the camp, we are looking forward to a great five weeks with you all...

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comments:

It was great to see this smiling photograph and to hear of some fun shenanigans. We who are related to the new five-weekers are very eager for many more updates. Thank you so much!Martha + David Adler in Washington DC

GVI Charitable Trust

Support education in the Amazon through the GVI Amazon Charitable Trust. Sponsored projects include environmental education for children, biodiversity monitoring for indigenous students, and youth-led reforestation programs in Amazon communities.

GVI Amazon Best Posts

Quotes from the field

"These are the voyages of the GVI Enterprise.Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds… To seek out new amphibian life; new civilizations… To boldly go where no man has gone before… The source of the stream!" Amy Hill, January - March 2009

"The forest is always alive; this is why it is called the Amazon and not the Amazoff" Alan Rea, January - March 2009,